Indonesia’s Bubbling Ring of Fire

(6/1/2014) The eruption on Friday, May 30, 2014 of the Mount Sangeang Volcano – a mid-sea volcanic island north of the Island of Sumbawa – continues to disrupt both domestic and international flights in the region.

The majority of flights operating in and out of Darwin in northwest Australia were cancelled on Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, June 1, 2014.

Darwin airport officials confirmed that domestic and international Jetstar services, and domestic flights operated by Virgin and Qantas were cancelled on Saturday and Sunday.

Fights operated into Darwin by Malaysian Airlines, Silkair and Qantas were also affected by the eruption.

Darwin flight operations appeared to be returning largely to normal on Monday, June 2, 2014 Jetstar resumed all flight to and from Darwin at 4:30 local time on June 1, 2014.

Two volcanic cloud created by the volcano and threatening aviation is moving in a southeasterly direction over the Kimberly’s and Top End of Australia. The clouds affecting Australian airspace measured 14 kilometers across and at its uppermost reach was 50,000 feet high.

A third cloud, northeast of Bali, will not affect Australian airspace but may pose a hazard to some domestic and international flights operating into Bali.

The volcanic cloud that had moved close to Bali on Monday is causing delays and cancellation on some Australian flights to Bali and a number of domestic Indonesian flight to eastern Indonesia.

Denpasar's flight status board on Monday, June 2, 2014, showed many Australian flights delayed or cancelled notices, with the situation changing by the hour.

In Indonesia the volcanic cloud caused Garuda Indonesia to suspend a number of its eastern Indonesian flight. Saturday and Sunday flights and their returns legs that were cancelled included:

Denpasar to Labuan Bajo (Flores), Ende (Flores) and Kupang

Denpasar to Tambolaka (Sumba) and Kupang

Jakarta to Mataram (Lombok) and Kupang

Jakarta to Denpasar and Kupang

Members of the public with flights destination in Easter Indonesia or Australia are reminded that the situation remains fluid and travelers should contact the airline involved for the latest update on schedule changes.

No injuries or fatalities have been reported in connection with volcano’s explosion.